Pinch Me, I'm Dreaming
by Usagi Ayame-chan
Summary: Anna Stewart,a girl who hasn't ever dreamed her whole life finally gets one on her 15th birthday.They arent like other dreams, they are real.She meets Harry Potter and she helps him figure out his dreams, and in doing so she solves mysteries about herself
1. Chapter 1

_**Introduction**_

Have you ever wondered how dreams work? Have you ever thought about it? Have you ever thought of them like a sixth sense? What about a different dimension? Well, dreams for me were never happy. They weren't sad either. For I have never experienced a dream. For I can't. I can't dream. Sounds impossible right? You are wrong.

I would close my eyes at night, waiting and hoping for that other dimension to take me away as I slip into unconsciencness. Waiting for that other world to take hold of me, to another place where I didn't have to worry about anything. But never would they welcome me, never would they come. I would wake up every morning with an empty mind, with nothing interesting to think about.

I would often ask people what it's like to dream. And they would always reply the same: "Why do you want to know? Don't you dream?" I wouldn't reply for they wouldn't believe me.

Would I ever get a dream? Would I ever experience its pleasure? Was there something wrong with me? Was it magic? I mean, what kind of freak doesn't dream, right? I'll answer that for you. Me.

_**Chapter 1**_

_**The Beginning of the End**_

I awake. Once again...nothing. I sighed. Today felt... different. And no. It was not the fact that I didn't dream again. Oh yeah! That's right...today...is my birthday. Another year has gone by. Another dreamless one. I quickly got up to get dressed to go to school, tripping over my feet as I walked to the bathroom to brush my hair. I quickly brushed the knots out and pulled it back in a ponytail.

Then all of a sudden my mom jumped out of nowhere and hugged me.

"Happy Birthday kiddo!" she said smiling widely.

"So? Feel any older?" she asked.

"No, not really," I said.

"What's wrong" she asked, "Are you tired?"

"Yeah I guess..." I said.

"Okay, let me know if you need anything," she said with a look of concern on her face.

"Yeah, sure," I said and nodded.

She smiled one last smile at me and then walked away.

Today felt very different though. But I couldn't put my finger on it. I put my hands in my face. My fingers were cold, numb from the cold water I used to splash in my face to wake me up. I walked back to my room to lie down until I had to leave for school. But what happened next I could not explain. What happened next was the beginning of an adventure that I did not even expect.

It started off as a little pang. Thinking it was just a little headache and that it was no big deal. I sat on my bed, and looked out the window, watching the rain fall, peacefully and quiet. It was just a drizzle. The headache was starting to subside when all of a sudden pain erupted through my head like a headache that was increased a million times over. I tried to scream but I couldn't. My throat was dry. My hands quickly went flying to my head clutching it, not that that would of stopped it. I didn't know what was happening, what was this pain? My head felt fit to burst. It felt like someone had whacked my head with a hammer and shoved a knife through my temple. I started to break out in a cold sweat, and my heart rate was increasing by the second. I tried to stand but I couldn't keep up straight, so I sat back on my bed. Then my eyesight blurred, the real world slipped by, and then I lost all consciencness.

I woke up in a hallway. Not in my house I was sure. Either I was going insane or I died and this was heaven. But I'm sure that heaven isn't some random hallway out of nowhere. I sat up, and looked around. At the end of the hallway was a black door. And it was open, but just a crack. Just enough for a little light to shine through.

I stood up and looked at the door curiously. I took a step forward and stopped still confused at what just happened. It was silent, the only sounds I heard was my own breathing, and my heart pounding in my chest. Then I heard footsteps. I jerked around. There was nothing there besides a dark, deserted hallway. I turned to look back at the door, and I started to walk toward it. But then I heard the footsteps again, but the rate had increased and it turned into a running pace. There was nothing I could do except turn around to look. But even before I could do that, I collided with something hard and I hit the floor. My head hit the hard, stone-cold ground. I yelled a bit, for my head had received enough damage for the day. A heavy weight was on top of me and I could not see what it was. All of the sudden it was lifted and whatever was on top of me backed away like it was a scared puppy. I sat up, but it was hard to see straight because I was dizzy. Finally I could see a little more clearly. I looked up at whoever was next to me. I saw a boy in the shadows peering at me through round bookworm glasses with confuse, green eyes. He had a tangled mess of black hair on top of his head and did not look much older than me. He was breathing heavily.

"Who...?" the boy started to say.

But before he could finish, a strange sensation overcame me. I felt like I was disintegrating. It didn't hurt, but it felt strange. I peered at my hands as they slowly became transparent, like I was turning into a ghost of some sort.

"Wait!" the boy yelled, "Who are…?"

But I couldn't hear his voice any longer. I slowly faded until everything went black again.

The world was black, and I felt cold. My eyes were closed, and I felt my heart rate go back to normal. My eyes fluttered slightly and I awoke again. Where would I be this time? I opened my eyes and saw that I was back in my room. I was on my bed. I sat up, my head aching. I heard a voice from downstairs yell my name, how long was I asleep? I looked at the clock. It had only been five minutes. But it seemed like an eternity.

Could it have possibly been a dream? I, my whole life, haven't even dreamed once, and why suddenly now? I just shook my head and told my self that I was just imagining things. Or was it really my first dream? But it felt so real, if dreams were supposed to be just another world while you sleep, they couldn't possibly _supposed _to feel real.

I grabbed my bag and headed out, trying to forget about things, but as I left I reached up to fix my hair when I felt a bump on the side of my head. I cringed. I touched it and to my shock I felt a warm, gooey liquid running down my face. My head was bleeding.

I couldn't explain why I was injured, for I was just laying on my bed the whole time. I quickly ran downstairs and ran out the door, fast enough to avoid my mom and the questions she would hurl at me. I was running down the street when I heard a voice calling me.

"Have a good day, Anna!" she yelled after me.

"Bye mom!" I yelled back as I waved over my shoulder not daring to look back.

And then I disappeared around the block.

I slowed a little for my head was throbbing in pain. Blood was running down my cheek. How did I receive such an injury in less than five minutes? Why did my first dream have to be so weird and unexplainable?

I lifted my sleeve to stop the bleeding. I felt it quickly soak up the liquid. When I looked back at my sleeve I just realized that that wasn't a very smart idea. I was wearing a white blouse.

"Dammit," I cursed under my breath. People are going to think that I committed murder.

But dreams aren't real, so why was I bleeding? In ways I was excited about my first dream, but in others I wasn't. I couldn't think of any logical answer. I have known all my life that I wasn't normal, and there was something special about me, but I had never expected anything like this. I couldn't convince myself it wasn't a dream, but I couldn't convince myself it wasn't real either.

I approached the school ready for whatever people were going to through at me today. I was planning to visit the school nurse so she could fix my head, but I was sure that there was no one alive who could fix my problems.

"It's just a minor injury, no need to worry, it's nothing serious. You won't require stitches," she said as she gently blotted it with disinfectant.

I sighed in relief. I wasn't prepared to have my mother freak out about this. I don't have the time of day.

"How did you hurt yourself dear?" she asked kindly. She was wearing a white coat, and underneath she was wearing a carnation pink shirt. She was a lady in about her late fifty's, with wrinkles that creased the sides of her warm smile.

"I…uh…ran into a pole…um, on the way to school this morning. I wasn't watching where I was going," I said thinking fast. I wasn't normally good at lying, but it looked like she bought it. The nurse placed a cloth on my injury, and taped it down.

" Well, you need to make sure you stay out of the pole's way," she said humorously.

"Yeah, I think I should go apologize," I said I said smiling back.

The nurse pulled out a clipboard and and a pen.

"What is your name dear?" she asked prepared to write.

"Anna Stewart," I said. For some reason I didn't like my name. I never have.

"Age?" she asked.

"Fifteen…today," I said back.

"Well, Happy Birthday, dear," she said smiling. I'm not sure the word _happy _applies today.

Then the nurse opened up a jar of suckers. She took one out and handed it to me. Even though this was a high school she still managed to hand them out to everyone who came in to see her.

"Here you go and be careful out there, okay?" she said with kind compassion in her voice.

"Thank you ma'am," I said and I headed out the door to my next class.

School that day was tough. I really felt sick all day. I could barely stay awake in third period. When the bell finally rang for seventh period I sighed in relief. The day was almost done. I was so sick of everyone asking about my head.

When I finally reached home my mom was waiting for me at the door. I braced myself.

"Hi honey! Let's open presents now! I could hardly stand…"she stopped and her eyes flew to the bandage.

"Anna! What happened dear! Are you all right? What did you do to…"?

"Mom! Chill. I ran into a pole on the way to school today," I said innocently.

"Are you alright?" she asked worried.

"I'm fine mom," I said.

"Well, do you want to open presents now?" she asked.

"Yeah I guess," I said.

I opened my presents. I received a pair of earrings, a pair of designer jeans, and a gift card to my favorite bookstore, and a wristwatch. I didn't get many presents because it was just my mom and I. My dad wasn't around anymore. He was murdered when I was only two years old.

"Thank you for everything mom, but I think I'm gonna hit the hay early," I said gathering up my items.

"You do look tired, Anna. You need to sleep," she said.

"Thanks for everything, mom," I said as I hugged her.

"Good night, Anna. Sweet dreams," she said as I walked away.

Those last words hung in the air for the longest time. As I walked up the stairs, it felt like I had to bricks of lead strapped to my legs and it felt like I was walking through syrup. When I reached my room, I dropped all of my things on my bed. I looked at the clock. It was on a quarter past eight. I strapped the watch to my wrist and set it for the right time. I looked at the blue jeans my mom had given me. They were really nice pants, but I really didn't care what kind of jeans I wore, just as long as they looked okay. I quietly took of the jeans I was wearing and tried them on. They were really nice, and comfortable. I glanced at the mirror in front of me. The bump on my head started to throb again, and I cringed. There were dark circles under my eyes, and I looked like I was about to collapse. I walked over to my bed and sat down. I felt like I was supposed to be doing something, but I knew that there was nothing that needed to be done. I pulled out my Ipod and plugged the ear buds into my ears. I turned it on and gently laid my head onto the pillow. I closed my eyes, and thought. _Everything will go back to normal tomorrow. Maybe today was just a fluke. _

I jerked upward, finally realizing something. I jerked up so hard that my iPod fell out of he jack and went flying of the bed and onto the floor. I got it! This morning I was so delirious that I must of collapsed and sleep walked! And somehow I hit my head somewhere. That's it! It was the only logical thing I could think of. And that so called "dream". I don't think it will happen again anytime soon. I smiled reluctantly, and lay back on my pillow. I giggled again. How could I have been so naive?

But as I was staring up at the ceiling, a heavy sensation swept over me. My eyelids grew heavy, and the atmosphere was comforting. I was slipping fast, and the last think I heard when I drifted into unconsciencness was my watch ticking.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2**_

_**Nightmare**_

_The darkness I have lived with, the never ending silence I endure, have never ceased to end. Not ever in my world that I have seen anything else in the unconscious state I dive into each night. Until today._

---

In the depths of my sleep, the silence was piercing. When I suddenly began to think straight, and slowly regain consciencness, I decided I was awake now. I sighed gently, getting ready to face the new day. I rolled over on my side, noticing how lumpy the mattress was. _Time to get a new mattress, _I thought to myself. I prepare myself, and slowly opened my eyes. To my surprise I wasn't in my room again. Instead I awoke to a dark room. I was lying on a bed in the middle of a row of other beds. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I could see that the room was long and narrow, and across it was another row of beds. As I peered closer they looked like hospital beds, some with curtains around them. _Oh great, I think I'm going insane,_ I thought to myself. I heard a snort coming from one of the beds, and I whipped around to the bed beside me, frightened. A person was beyond the folds of the blankets, sleeping soundly, and snoring quietly. _Oh great, I need a psychiatrist. _I started to panic. I didn't know where the hell I was and not to mention my mother would soon freak out if she found me not in bed.

I lifted my hands instinctively to feel the bump that was on my head, and to my surprise, it was gone. The gauze wasn't there, and I was healed. _Impossible. _I tossed the blankets aside, and threw my legs over the side of the mattress. I noticed that I was still wearing the blue jeans my mother had given me. The body beside me rolled over on its side and groaned, and I jumped in surprise. I heard rustling down at the end of the room and I heard a door open. I quickly stood, staggering as my head spun. And I trotted out of the nearest exit that was only ten feet away from my bed. I headed out.

---

Wherever I was, the place was huge. Although I could not see all of the details of it when it was dark. I found myself walking down large corridors, filled with exquisite portraits of the most random subjects. I glanced at one through the darkness, and observed an old man falling asleep, slumping over a table. The table had parchment sprawled all over it. And a bottle of ink was spilled all over the table and it seemed that the man hadn't noticed since he was asleep, slumped in his chair. But the oddest think about this painting was that if I peered close enough I could actually see the breathing. And to my surprise, the man snorted, and the snort echoed throughout the vast walls. I practically jumped backward thirty feet, amazed at what I had seen. I quickly walked away not looking back.

I found my feet taking me throughout the entire place, not knowing or wondering about my destination. A few minutes later I found myself completely lost, or really like more lost than I was before. I quietly started to panic, and my head started to spin. I needed to get out of here. I needed to get home. Each corner I turned I found myself in another similar corridor. The only other places I found were rooms full of the most unlikely objects. Some like a skeleton of an unknown creature hanging from the ceiling, or jars full of floating animal parts, some I couldn't even decipher what they were.

The corridors were dark, and so silent I could here a pin drop. The clapping of my bare feet against the cold, stone ground were loud and the sound echoed throughout the entire place. I reached another corner and I faithfully made another turn, hoping to find my salvation. I turned the next corner, and I came upon two large old-fashioned French doors, as tall as the ceiling. I walked over and pushed them open, peeking my head through. I saw staircases, many of them. But I couldn't even see the details of most in the dark. Well, at least this was different. I went to one of the staircases and started to walk up the steps. When I was about halfway upstairs, the staircase suddenly shifted under me, and started to move. I was so surprised and unprepared that I lost my balance on the step I was on, and I found myself falling through the air, down the strange, levitating staircase. With quick reflexes, as I fell of the last step, I grasped it with all my might. The staircase suddenly came to a halt, and I found myself hanging of the edge of the staircase. I looked over my shoulder, and I saw that I was about fifty feet suspended into the air. It was a long fall. I gulped. My hand started to slip, but I quickly used my other hand to hold on. Good thing I was passing P.E. I pulled myself up with ease and I was finally in the safe zone. I sighed in relief, and wiped the beads of sweat that had formed on my forehead.

I quickly walked up the stairs to avoid more falling and I found myself, once again in a similar corridor. Then I really started to panic. Then the burning sensation formed in my throat, and I could feel the hot tears coming. They ran down my cheek uncontrollably. I started to run, turning every corner that I approached. After about five minutes, I found myself getting nowhere. Then, out of frustration, I stopped dead in my tracks. The tears still flowed. I buried my hands in my hands, and wept quietly to myself. I was so lost and confused, and I couldn't find my way out of this twisted maze.

I sniffed and wiped away the tears with my sleeve. And again viewed my surroundings. It was to dark to see anything so I closed my eyes. I have once heard that if you count to yourself when you are scared you would calm down. I started to count to myself.

"One," I said quietly to myself. I took a deep breath.

"Two," I said after that. And then I exhaled. And once more I inhaled to mutter the next number.

"_Three_," said a voice behind me before I could even finish. I whipped around to see a figure emerging from the shadows.

It was a man. He was holding a candle. The flame was almost extinguished, but dim enough to see most of his face. The small light reflected of his glasses, which seemed to be in the shape of half moons. He was elderly, wearing a nightcap, and possessed a long silvery beard that seemed to sparkle in the light.

"Who…who…? Was all I could babble in the midst of my confusion.

"Here is not the place to talk, my dear, so it would be best if you would follow me," he said gently.

Even though I could hardly see his face, the man had a certain warmth about him. He seemed trustworthy and I knew that it would be best if I'd listen to him if I wanted to get out of here alive. _If _I ever got out of here.

"Come along," he called gently over his shoulder as he led me down the dark corridor. It was only a few short minutes until we reached the man's destination.

We halted in front of a large statue of a gargoyle, which sat at the very end of the hallway.

"Licorice wand, " the man said to the inanimate object.

I watched utterly amazed as the gargoyle sprung to life before my very eyes. And leaped aside to reveal a hidden staircase. The man walked up the stairs, but I stood there frozen in place, not knowing if I should follow or not. I didn't know what to do.

" Come on, dear. No need to worry," I heard him call after me.

I quickly obeyed, not thinking twice about the situation. I followed up the narrow staircase, tripping over my feet from the lack of light. We reached the top and the man led me to a door, which opened right when he walked up to it. He led me into what looked like his office.

The room was fairly large and circular. The walls were packed with unknown items and more portraits. Once again the people in them were moving, but most were asleep and snoring. Across the room, the man took his seat at his desk. Next to the desk was a large perch, and there sat a magnificent bird, with feathers of radiant orange and red. I gaped at the sight of it. I have never seen such a bird before.

I glanced over at the man. He folded his hands on his desk, and peered at me over his half-moon glasses.

" I bet you have a lot of questions running through your mind, Anna Stewart," the man said first thing.

I looked at him surprised, and perplexed.

" How do you know my name?" I asked.

He chuckled slightly and smiled a wide grin at me.

" I have known you for quite some time, Anna," he replied, not helping much.

There was silence in the room. The bird groomed his feathers, and the man coughed quietly.

" I don't understand sir," was all I could say.

"Anna," he said a little more firmly, "Do you know where you are right now?"

I shook my head in response.

" Why, you are on the foundations of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," he said simply, " I am Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of this magical school. I am a wizard. And you, my dear, are a witch."

There was a long silence again. I couldn't believe what I was hearing from this nut job.

" With all due respect, sir, last time I checked there was no such thing as magic, or wizards, witches, or anything like that. I think you have made a mistake."

He started to laugh softly, which made me feel embarrassed. Why was he laughing at me?

"Sir, I am not a witch!" I blurted out quite loudly.

"Anna, please sit," he said smiling.

I looked around, but there was no chair. I just looked at him, confused.

"Oh! My apologies," he said. And with that, he picked up a long stick-like thing that lay on his desk beside him, and with a flick, a chair appeared right in front of my eyes.

"Now, you may sit," he said grinning even more widely than before.

"How did you…how did you do that!" I asked, pointing at the chair.

"Magic, my dear. I am a wizard, of course!"

"Okay…I think I believe you now," I said still utterly amazed.

"Anna, please sit," he said again and this time I obeyed.

"But sir! Please tell me. How did I get here?"

He then looked at me surprised. And then started rustling through some papers on his desk, sorting them, until they were neatly stacked. I didn't know why he was doing this; maybe he was trying to digress from the conversation.

"Sir, please tell me," I said begging him.

"Anna, you of all people should be able to figure this out! But if you really want me to tell you, then I'll tell you this! You came to our school by yourself!" he said firmly.

"You are not making any sense! I couldn't have come hear on my own! I don't remember how I got here, so how could I have gotten here on my own!" I said angrily, feeling my temper rise.

"Anna, what did you dream two nights ago?" he said out of the blue.

"WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING!" I yelled out angrily.

"Tell me! Or you won't be able to figure this…"

"Nothing! Okay? I didn't dream anything!"

"But isn't that impossible?" he asked.

I looked away from him.

"Ahh. But not for you, right?" he said, eyebrows raised.

I whipped around at him. How did he know so much about me?

" Strange things have been happening lately haven't they, Anna?"

" Why should I tell you?" I was done being polite now.

" There is nothing I don't already know about you, Anna."

" Then why are you asking me!"

" Please answer my question, " he said to me looking me straight in the eyes.

I thought about it. I was so angry and confused it was hard to think logically, but after thinking, I realized if I just answered his questions, this could all be over soon.

" I can't dream!" I blurted out, " I have never been able too!"

" Until today, right?" he said.

" What?" What do you…?"

" Anna Stewart, I will tell you some valuable information."

He leaned in closer toward me and muttered words that hit me like a falling piano.

" You are dreaming right now."

---

A/N: Hey everyone! Hoped you liked chapter 2. If you are like so confused…good! That means you should be excited to find out more in chapter 3! Don't worry, the mystery will soon be unfolded. **PLEASE REVIEW! **Thank you! Look for chapter 3, coming soon!


	3. Chapter 3

**Wishing to Wake**

"_Expect the unexpected" anon. _

I stood there in disbelief. Every inch of my body quivered, beads of sweat began to form on my brow. I staggered backwards, colliding with the door. My shaking hand rattling up against the knob, and I clutched it tight. This couldn't be true.

" What are you talking about?" I asked, 'How can I be asleep?"

"Oh, but you are Anna, well, I mean…technically speaking," Dumbledore said, his half moon glasses reflecting the light from the candle on his desk.

I gulped. So many thoughts flooded into my head.

"Although, I have to say, that this is all very real," he said shifting glances around the room.

"I…I don't believe you!!! To many things have happened! And I already told you that I couldn't dream! I think you're just some psycho who wants to trick me into thinking I'm in some alternate, freaky reality!! Just so you could…could…do stuff to me!! Well, guess what I am not gonna fall for it!!!" Anna screamed at him.

"No Anna, I am not hear to terrorize you in any way! I know this is hard to believe, but if you would just let me explain, I can give you the answers you desire! You ARE dreaming, but everything is real!"

My hand flung to my arm, and I started to pinch myself multiple times.

"If I'm dreaming, if I'm asleep, I want to wake up! I WANT TO WAKE UP! WAKE UP!"

Dumbledore sighed and said, "If you would just let me explain…"

"NO!! I'm DONE HERE!" I yelled at him. And with a turn of the doorknob I hurtled out of the room.

---

My bare feet were slapping against the cold stone, my breathing was heavy while I ran. I can't do this! I need to get out! What will happen to me? What will they do to me? As I sprinted down the corridors, I flew by the odd portraits as I thought I saw them catch glances at me through the darkness. I ran faster and faster. I needed to get away. As I ran, droplets of tears flowed from beneath my eyelids.

I didn't know where I was again. I just wanted to get as far away from him as possible. I felt like my lungs were going to burst, for I sprinted as fast as I could. I needed to stop, but I could not. Now I felt like I was like a runaway car that could not stop. Like a gear had popped and my brakes weren't working.

All of a sudden, as I was running in the dark, I collided. I collided with something very hard. Whatever it was it sent me flying backward this time, and I skidded on my back across the floor. My head hit the floor again, and I could have sworn I almost blacked out, but I didn't. My eyes were closed and I lay there on the ground. Breathing heavily, sweat coated my face.

My eyes shot open, and I sprang up.

"WHAT THE…"

Before I could finish, footsteps rang out into the darkness.

They became louder.

They approached where I was.

They stopped.

I looked around, but there was nothing. I just closed my eyes and curled up where I lay.

"_Wake up. Wake up. I want to wake up_." I whispered to myself.

"Who are you?" a voice asked.

Someone was standing next to me, but I didn't look up. I couldn't. I was done.

"Who are you?" the voice asked again.

I remained silent.

"Please tell me," the voice asked.

I sat up slowly. My long, ebony, black hair fell against my pale face. I sat up, but I didn't look up.

"My name is Anna," I said tenderly and almost quiet enough that whoever was speaking to me could not hear. I felt dead. I was done getting angry.

"Why are you here?" the voice asked. Now I could decipher that it was a male voice.

"I wish I knew." I said still whispering. "Please…"

"Please, what?" the boy asked me.

I lifted my head slowly and looked up.

Green eyes staring at me through bookworm glasses, he stood there…waiting.

My mouth opened slowly as the stale words slipped out of my lips.

"…Don't hurt me."

And everything went black.


End file.
